Method and means of counteracting gravitation.



A. F. BELLS. METHOD AND MEANS OF GOUNTERAGTING GRAVITATION.

APPLICATION 111L111) JAN. 6, 1913.

1,053,368, Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

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ALBERT F. EELLS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND MEANS OF COUNTER-ACTING GRAVITATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Application filed. January 6, 1913. Serial No. 740,345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. Thus, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means of Count eracting Gravitation, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method and system of transportation and particularly to systems of the class specified wherein rapid speed is required.

The object of my improvement is to provide for the rapid and safe movement of objects from one place to another with ease and at minimum cost without being retarded by the friction caused by the attraction of gravitation. This may be accomplished by a variety of means, that herein shown being given merely for illustrative purposes, but without in anyway limiting my method to such mechanical features as are herein shown.

One way in which I propose to carry out my invention is by constructing a smooth firm road-bed (preferably metal) with guides on each side, on which bed I propose to place a carrier so constructed that a compressed medium (preferably air) can be confined between the road-bed and the under side of the top of the carrier under suflicient pressure if desired to lift said carrier. One of the means of accomplishing this object whereby a higher speed can be attained than has been heretofore possible, is by using a pneumatic tube within which a carrier is floated by compressed air beneath, thereby obviating the friction caused by gravitation and the use of wheels as speed on wheels is limited to the centrifugal motion thereof which causes bursting. I also propose to afford perfect ventilation at a desired air pres sure within the carrier and by this method the resistance of the air is prevented, as the air moves with the carrier, the only resistance caused by this means of transportation being the friction on the packing and the friction on the air beneath the carrier; consequently, a very high speed can be attained with little power and I can see no possibility of accident as a collision cannot take place as the air would form a cushion between the carriers, and prevent contact and further there is no possibility of leaving the track. The compressed air beneath the carrier supports the bottom thereof and iiilriiilarly distributes-the bearing on the road Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter pointed out.

One form of means for carrying out the invention is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, which with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section with ortions broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 8 is an end view on a smaller scale, of a modified form of carrier. Fig. l is a horizontal section showing a modified form in its use upon a curve.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the different views.

I propose to use a pneumatic tube 1 within which a carrier 6 is inclosed, which carrier is closed when in motion by doors 23-23 and which carrier I propose to drive'by compressed air at the rear end and to remove the atmospheric resistance by exhausting air at the opposite end, said carrier adapted to be stopped when requiredby an air cushion not shown) or by reversing the air pressure. This carrier is caused to maintain an upright position by a track 2 as shown in Fig. 2, or by the form of thetube as shown in Fig. 3, and which I propose to float on compressed air confined in chamber 3 beneath the carrier, which air is confined by packing 4 and valve 25 or 26, the one when going in one direction and the other when going in the opposite direction. The valves 28 and'80 are safety valves. Said confined air may be received from the air pressure in the rear of the carrier through pipe 18 or 19, according to the direction in which the carrier is moving, or furnished by other well known means from the interior of the carrier. A valve 30 is used to equalize the air pressure to conform to the load in the carrier, which can be controlled by screw 31. The valve 28 automatically relieves the pressure through the pipe 29 when the carrier floats sufficiently high for the stem of the valve to engage the top of the tube. The

chamber 3 may extend the entire length of the carrier, as shown in Fig. 4, or be in sections, as shown in Fig. 1. The leakage from the chamber 3-3 passes by the packing 4- 1 into the chamber 21 01" 27, thence through Copies of this patent may be obtained for apertures 55 into the interior of the carrier, or it may pass out into the partial vacuum in front of the car.

To provide the passengers in the carrier with air at a suitable pressure and with perfect ventilation, pipes 8 and 11 are employed to receive and deliver the air from the rear to the front of the carrier ;to illustrate, if the carrier is moving in the direction of the arrow a, the air will be received through the pipe 11, thence passing thro-ugh the valve 12 serve as means for holding the compressed air in the chamber 3.

17 and 20 are valves controlling the pipes 18 and 19 respectively.

22 is the opening for the doors.

24 is a pipe which as shown in Fig. 1 conmeets the opposite ends of the chamber 3 which as here shown is divided by the packings 4.

7 are seats in the carrier.

The shape of the tube and carrier may be modified. For instance, in Fig. 3 I have convenient for packing and, furthermore, by

this form the carrier is more easily retained in upright position.

ater or other liquid may be used for lubrication.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. The method of counteracting the attraction of gravitation of a carrier which consists in floating and propelling the carrier by a compressed medium and removing the atmospheric resistance in advance of the carrier.

2. The method of counteracting the attraction of gravitation which consists in floating and propelling an object by a compressed medium and exhausting the medium in advance of such object.

3. A system for counteracting the attraction of gravitation of a carrier comprising means for floating and propelling the carrier by a compressed medium and for exhausting the medium in advance of the carrier.

Signed by me at WVashington, D. G., this 6th day of January 1913.

ALBERT F. EELLS. lVitnesses:

E. H. BOND, I Gno. H. SNYDER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

